CYCLING:CLOCKING UP one of the top results of his career, Swiss rider Pirmin Lang (Atlas Jakroo) blasted home into Gort yesterday afternoon, outpacing six breakaway companions and grabbing the yellow jersey as a result.
The 27-year-old beat British duo Dale Appleby (East Midlands Metaltek), James Moss (Node4 Giordana Racing) and four others to the line, gaining time on the main bunch containing previous leader Marcin Bialoblocki (Node4 Giordana), and taking over at the top of the An Post Rás.
Irishman Connor McConvey made it into the break and advanced to fifth in the general classification, while his An Post Grant Thornton M Donnelly Seán Kelly team-mates Sam Bennett and last year’s champion Gediminas Bagdonas led home the main field some 28 seconds later.
Stage one winner Bialoblocki and his team had a tough day trying to defend the jersey and lost out, with the Pole rolling in as part of the peloton and dropping to eighth overall, 12 seconds back.
His successor ended the stage from Kilkenny level on time with his breakaway companions, but ahead on stage placings.
“My legs were okay and I felt very well,” the Swiss rider beamed afterwards, wearing the yellow jersey he earned over 158 tough kilometres of racing.
The move went clear 40 kilometres into the stage, following on from unsuccessful attacks such as two by Irish Olympian-to-be Martyn Irvine. Initially comprising eight riders including Lang and McConvey, the move gained time over the main bunch.
A chasing group comprising mainly Irish county riders tried for a long time to get across but was unable to do so. They were brought back and on a route crossing five category three climbs and threading its way through Newport, Killaloe and Scariff, the peloton grew steadily closer to the break.
Dropping from a high of four minutes, the gap was down to 56 seconds with nine kilometres left and it seemed very likely the escape would be caught. However, the riders out front rallied and those behind ran out of steam; at the line the break was still 28 seconds clear.
An Post manager Kurt Bogaerts saw his riders Bennett, Bagdonas, Ronan McLaughlin and Seán Downey lose a little time, along with most of the field, but was not worried. “I am quite happy how the team are riding, they are really active,” he said. “Today it was good to have McConvey up there – it keeps our options open for the classification, and takes the pressure away during the stage. It was up to other teams to chase.”
Bogaerts knows the importance of playing his tactics correctly and to manoeuvre more than one of his riders into position.
He’ll continue that on today’s third stage, a race to Westport which includes the second category Gowlaun and first category Maumtrasna in the final 50 kilometres of racing.
